My Billionaire's Fake Girlfriend: My Billionaire Romance Series, #7

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Chapter One

Adam

Monday

Y o, how’s it going ? I called out loudly as I entered the Cutz barbershop in the middle of the afternoon. Max, what’s going on, it’s like a ghost town in here. The rest of New York is absolutely buzzing and in here...no one.

My best friend snuck around the corner with a sheepish look on his face. He ran his fingers through his shaggy light brown hair and gave me a grin. Yeah, yeah, I know. You don’t need to give me shit about it. We were rammed in here early on; you’ve just happened to come in during a lull.

He ran his eyes critically up and down my body. Which I’m sure is a good thing for you, considering you spend most of your life out partying, or hungover to fuck. I don’t know how you still do it at twenty-seven years old. Honestly, I’m the same age as you and one night out crushes me for days.

I took his teasing in the good humor it was intended, just like he did with me. Just because you’re an old man, doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t hack it.

I glanced at my reflection in one of the endless mirrors that stretched across Cutz, running my hands down my slightly worn cheeks. My dark hair looked fine because I always kept it cut short and my light green eyes still sparkled, but the strain was starting to show on my sallow skin. Maybe all the late nights were becoming a bit too much for me – not that I would ever admit that to Max.

I can hack it, I just have adult things to do in the morning, he continued to mock me. Some of us have real life businesses to run. We don’t have mommy and daddy to pay for everything.

I rolled my eyes and chuckled. My endless source of money from my family was always a point that Max picked up on. It was fair enough – if I was in his position I would be exactly the same about it.

You might think it makes my life easy, but it really doesn’t, I warned. I have to go and have dinner with the old bastards tonight. Brandon, too.

He went silent as that, just as I expected him to. Max and I met in high school, right when my parents were at the height of piling their expectations on my shoulders, so he knew just how fractured the shitty relationship was.

Maybe in another world, without our father always pitting us against one another, my older brother Brandon and me could have been friends. There was only four years between us, after all. But he was always better than me, setting the bar too high. He always did exactly what Dad told him to without complaint, even going into the accountancy department of the family investment firm without even wanting to try something else.

It drove me nuts and drove a wedge between us so huge that it was almost the Grand Canyon. There was no coming back from how things were between us.

Yeah, well good luck with that, Max muttered while fiddling with his scissors. Rather you than me, anyway.

I didn’t comment on that because Max had a great relationship with his family. They loved him unconditionally, supporting his dream to open a barber shop without even questioning it. He might have been the only person who saw my point of view, but even he couldn’t fully understand it.

Thanks, man. I patted the counter loudly and turned towards the door. I better get out of here before the stampede of people rush through the door.

Oh, get lost, Adam, he sneered with a laugh. I am actually booked up to the rafters in the next hour, so the joke’s on you.

I chuckled and pushed the door open, leaving out into the chilly air. Much as Max and I always gave each other hell, I was glad to have him in my life. There wasn’t anyone I trusted quite like him...especially not my family.

MY HAND SHOOK AS I reached up to open the front door to my parents’ mansion as nerves cascaded violently through my system. It was weird to think that I had spent most of my life growing up in this house because it felt nothing like home. I could barely recall myself even being inside there, never mind creating memories.

Inside my own home, the one I purchased as soon as I hit eighteen, was my real comfort zone.

Mother! The tight knot that coiled around in my chest as Debbie Britt, my wonderful mom, stood on the other side of the door. She was the only person in the entirety of my family that I felt connected with in any way. She chose not to get in the middle of the pettiness between me, Dad, and Brandon. How are you?

Oh, Adam. Her face crinkled up into a smile as she threw open her arms to embrace me wholly. She never cared if her designer dress got wrinkled slightly or her make up wasn’t perfect. That just wasn’t her. It’s so wonderful to see you. What have you been up to?

Oh, you know. I took her into my arms and let her rest her head against my chest. At six foot one, it was damn near impossible to find anyone as tall as me. I overtook my mother when I was thirteen. This and that. I always kept my answers vague, even with Mom. I preferred to keep my life away from my family separate just to make everything much less complicated. What about you?

Before she got a chance to answer, the much less welcoming presence of Richard Britt came into the room. Maybe I looked more like him than I did Mom but that was where the similarities ended.

Adam, he said gruffly while running a critical eye up and down me. You look...

He didn’t finish that sentence, but he didn’t have to. We both knew that he meant something disapproving by it. That didn’t need to be spoken aloud. I might have been in a tailored charcoal suit, but in his eyes there always would have been something wrong with my outfit, whatever it was.

The tension was so thick it could have been cut with a knife. I darted my eyes between my parents, but neither of them said anything. My father enjoyed the atmosphere, or so I had to assume since he spent most of his life creating it, whereas I wasn’t sure my mother knew what to say. She just wanted it gone.

I parted my lips, scanning my brain desperately to find the right words, but there wasn’t anything there...and as it turned out it didn’t matter anyway. Just at that moment, the front door swung open again to reveal my brother on the other side.

Brandon! My father’s tone brightened as my brother walked inside. He acted as if they hadn’t seen each other for months, like he and I hadn’t, rather than a few hours ago at the office. I couldn’t help it; a bitter snake of jealousy tore through my intestines as I watched them embrace. How’s Helen? Is she not coming tonight?

Helen – my brother’s wonderful wife that actually managed to make him look like a nice person. I let out a breath I didn’t even realize I was holding at the news she wasn’t coming, and I heard Mom do the same. We both shared our opinion on Helen: she was a no good gold digger. The fact that she refused to have children with my brother until she had made it as a model did not spell good news as far as I was concerned.

Oh, Helen is at a charity event tonight. She’s supporting... Brandon clicked his fingers as if he couldn’t remember. Animals, I think. Something about animals.

Dad led Brandon towards the dining room, leaving me and Mom alone for a second. I laughed as she rolled her eyes and mouthed the words thank God at me. Honestly, if it wasn’t for her, I never would come home again! She was the only one worth visiting.

As we took our seats at the table, I inhaled deeply and breathed in all the wonderful scents that emanated from the plates laid out in front of us. Okay, this was another good reason to come back. I didn’t have my own chef, that wasn’t an expense I could justify. And anyway I knew I would never find one as good as Beatrice. She was a goddess in the kitchen.

This smells great, I commented happily, allowing my father and brother’s behavior to wash over me as my stomach growled loudly. I can’t wait to dig in.

I picked up my fork and hovered it over my plate. My mouth watered as I tried to decide what to go for first, but unfortunately, I didn’t quite manage to get there before Dad decided to address me again.

Actually, Adam, before any of us eat anything, he said coldly. We are having an honorary dinner next week next week at the business awards. I’m sure I’ve told you that I’m winning the Business of the Decade Award? He hadn’t, but I nodded anyway. So, of course you shall be expected to attend. I need my whole family there.

But... I started, about to give some fake excuses about why I couldn’t possibly go to something that sounded so utterly boring, but I didn’t manage to complete that sentence.

There are no buts. There isn’t anything that you could have on that would be more important than this. Brandon snorted as Dad continued, taking great amusement in what he considered to be my failure. I shot him a glare, but he ignored me. "You will be there."

Why do you even want him there? Brandon asked making me curl my hands into fists in temper. Whenever I was around him, I could feel myself revert back into being a petty teenager all over again. He hasn’t done anything with his economics masters degree, he doesn’t even have a job. He’s an embarrassment, really; he can’t even keep a girlfriend.

My blood boiled angrily and a red mist descended over my eyes. Just because I didn’t live my life like Brandon did, didn’t make me wrong. And who the fuck was he to judge? I thought. He married a woman who didn’t love him for anything other than his money, he worked for his daddy, and he was an asshole. He didn’t deserve the credit that he got and he certainly did deserve to push his way of life into my face. It just wasn’t right.

I couldn’t take it.

"I do have a girlfriend, I heard myself saying, despite the fact that I’d intended to remain silent and dignified. We’ve been together for a while, actually. I couldn’t stop myself from talking. The stunned expression in Brandon’s eyes as I took him down was priceless. We’re serious."

Great, Dad interjected after only a beat of silence. Well, that’s wonderful. You can bring her along to the meal to show the world that you aren’t a massive failure. Now, dig in. We need to eat before the food gets cold.

Fuck. I grabbed my fork, but all of a sudden my appetite wasn’t the same anymore. What the hell have I gotten myself into? How the fuck can I get out of this one?

I couldn’t back down without admitting I was lying, which would only push me more into the black sheep of the family category. Somehow, despite it being the most ridiculous thing ever, I needed to find a way to make it work...

Chapter Two

Lindsey – Monday

My face was ashen as I crashed back through the front door into the apartment I shared with Denise. When I’d stepped out of it at eight o clock this morning, I was higher than a kite, on top of the world, and now...

Well, now I felt like the world had crashed down around me.

Woah, what is with you? Denise chuckled with her hands on her hips. You look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.

I ran my eyes up and down my roommate’s body, wondering if my opinion would be different if I looked more like her. With her voluptuous curves, her bright red plump lips, and her shining almost black eyes that always appeared filled with mischief, Denise just screamed sex goddess. It oozed off of her in waves. She might have only been two years older than me at twenty three, but sometimes it felt like she had a good decade on me.

My figure was more petite, slimmer...less interesting in my eyes. My blonde hair fell down to my hips, and my face was heart shaped. People complimented me on my lips, but I just didn’t see it. When I looked in the mirror all I saw was the endless sadness behind my dark blue eyes.

I... I... I gasped while racing across to the kitchen area in our apartment. The living room and kitchen was all as one so I didn’t have to end our conversation. I turned on the tap and allowed the cold water to cascade into the first glass I could grab. I don’t know what to think at all, it’s all so...

I turned and leaned my back against the counter, gulping down the water like I’d been in the Sahara, rather than on the New York subway. I tried to allow the coolness to calm down my body, but it didn’t really work. I could still feel the hot mess I truly was inside.

Audition didn’t go well, then? Denise asked while screwing up her nose. As an aspiring actress, she truly got it. It was a hard, competitive world which crushed dreams more than it made. That’s a shame. I thought it was a shoo-in.

It isn’t that, I gasped while slamming the glass back down. It went well. It was good, really. They offered me the part...

Denise’s eyes lit up with glee. She got ahead of herself in excitement. Oh wow, that’s amazing, that’s just... Wait. Realization dawned on her. If it went well then why are you standing there looking like you’ve just been told one of your breast implants has popped?

I automatically grabbed onto my chest, small compared to Denise’s. But I don’t have... I shook my head, that wasn’t the point she was trying to make. The reason I’m upset is because they want me to be nude in one of the scenes. Like, full nude, and of course I’m nowhere near famous enough to demand a body double. If I do it, I’ll have to have everything out for the world to see.

When the director told me that, my elation had turned ice cold. I never wanted to show off my body; it was one of the things I’d felt determined about when I got into the acting world. I didn’t want to be an actress for that, even if it was done tastefully.

The reason I enjoyed acting was because it felt nice to be someone else for a while...especially when it seemed that it was something I was good at. I relished in stepping out of the Lindsey Marsh person I had to be every day of my life, and becoming someone else. That was what I wanted. I didn’t want the world to see every single part of me. That just wasn’t me and it never would be.

I’d told the director that I would think about it, but I knew he wouldn’t wait for long.

After a moment, Denise burst into laughter. She chuckled so hard that she actually bent over double, leaving me with my mouth hanging wide open. I knew Denise had a bit of a blunt way about her, I never minded that side of her, but this seemed downright cruel. I was going through the biggest crisis ever, and she was making a joke out of it?

I stepped backwards, ready to run from the room, when Denise caught a hold of herself. I’m sorry, Lindsey; honestly, I am. I don’t mean to be a dick about it, but you should hear yourself. She threw her hands above her head in a bemused gesture. This is acting, this is New York. There just isn’t any way that you can make it without flashing some flesh. It’s the same in L.A...actually, it’s worse in L.A. There you’re expected to do a lot worse to get by, if you know what I mean.

I gulped, not liking the sound of that – any of it. It didn’t have to be that way, did it? Some people must have made it on talent alone. Surely?

I know it might not be something that you’re comfortable with, but you need to find a way to make it work. She hopped down off her stool and followed me into the kitchen. "When I first learned about my original role would involve nudity, I spent the majority of a week naked in front of a mirror. I used that time to get used to my body and to also work out how to position it right. I knew how to do it in clothes, so I just had to relearn for that scene.

Now look at me. I’m in three commercials, last month I was in an off-Broadway production, and next week, I have another walk on role in that CIA TV series. All of that came from that one role. It catapulted me.

I didn’t like to comment that it hadn’t catapulted her the whole way because that would have been a shitty thing to do, so I just nodded silently instead. I didn’t think I would ever be able to get used to the idea, however hard I tried. I just wasn’t the girl who found it easy to get naked in any situation. Never mind under studio lights with hundreds of crew members watching me, cameras pointing at me, and the knowledge that it would be for public consumption.

I strongly suggest that you get in front of that mirror now, Denise continued, seemingly oblivious to the inner turmoil cascading through my brain. Or you’re going to have to find another way to pay the rent. Her face twisted into a smirk which suggested that a joke was about to fly out of her mouth. Either that or you’ll have to start selling your body on a street corner...at least that way only one person will have to see you naked.

With that horrifying thought, she turned on her heels and stalked into her bedroom, leaving me even more confused than before. Maybe I could get used to my naked body, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad, I thought. The movie was a period piece about a lady in the war falling for an enemy soldier. The nude scene was supposed to be very tasteful, but the thought of standing there with all eyes upon me filled me with dread.

I tugged my cell phone out of my pocket and typed out a message to the director.

‘I’m really sorry. I don’t think I can...’

But then I considered my inability to pay rent if I didn’t take on this job. I would have to find something really fast to make this month if I turned it down which was going to be really challenging. Maybe I just needed to suck it up and make myself do it.

I hit delete, then retyped:

‘Thank you for the opportunity. I would love to...’

But I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t hit send. Instantly, despite my desperation to get back home only moments before, I knew that I needed to escape again. I needed a long walk, space and time to think, and a cup of coffee from Lorenzo’s. There was something about the java that came from that place that was like liquid gold. I needed it to help me make my decision because when I finally did make a choice, I wanted it to be the right one. After all, it was going to affect me a lot.

WITH A STEAMING CUP between my fingers I took a much slower walk back to the apartment. I didn’t really want to get back home until I knew what I wanted to do for sure. It was hard to think with Denise pressuring me, even if she didn’t really mean to. I knew that she only wanted the best for me, and I appreciated her friendship, but on this point I didn’t think we would ever see eye to eye. Denise was happy to go with the flow and did not mind doing what needed to be done to make a success of herself, whereas I was much more content to stick to my morals.

Not that my morals were getting me anywhere.

As I passed a beautiful young woman playing her clarinet on the street corner, I wanted nothing more than to chuck some change into her instrument case. From one struggling artist to another, we needed to support one another, but I couldn’t. I had scrabbled around in the bottom of my bag to pay for this damn coffee. I could barely afford anything else.

I’d finally eaten through all my savings, leaving me at a desperate and hopeless place. I didn’t think this time would come so soon – I was supposed to be in a much better place. I had all these plans, but somehow they fell apart somewhere along the line.

My eyes were drawn, as if a magnet was pulling them, to a red dress hanging in the window of Barneys. It was long, it cinched in at the hips, and it had the perfect cut for someone with breasts on the slightly smaller side. I didn’t even need to try it on to know that it would look good on me, I could just tell. It was the sort of garment that in a naïve way I thought acting would help me to buy.

No such luck.

No, I could barely afford anything from market stalls, never mind something like this. With a deep sigh, I forced my pining body to move away and continued on my journey back home. I wanted to be able to do the nude scene, just because the rest of the movie was beautiful and would make my life easier by paying my rent, but I just knew that I couldn’t.

I was going to have to find some other way to make myself some money. If only there was another job somewhere out there in the world, for me to showcase my acting abilities. I needed some magic job to drop out of the sky that would let me act, allowing me to become someone else, while also keeping my morals.

Sadly, I was never going to get that lucky. I never had, and I never will.

‘To Ian,’ I typed out with regret on my cell phone screen. ‘Thank you for the opportunity, but I am afraid I will not be able to take on the role. Yours sincerely, Lindsey.’

I shoved my phone away, knowing I wouldn’t get an answer. It would get me shit from Denise, who was bound to be pissed off, but somehow I would make it work. I had to. I didn’t have any choice in the matter. It wasn’t exactly like I had anywhere else in the world to go.

Chapter Three

Adam

Tuesday

What the hell did I say that for? What on earth was I thinking?